WATER POLO 2024 U.S. Olympic Women's Water Polo Roster Announced

 

Los Angeles, CA – May 30, 2024 -- U.S. Olympic Women's Water Polo Team Head Coach Adam Krikorian announced the 13 athletes selected to represent Team USA at the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024, earlier today at a press conference at Republique in Los Angeles. The USOPC will confirm the full Team USA roster for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in July. The roster for the three-time defending Olympic champions and current World Champions features six returners from the Tokyo Olympic Games, five of which also earned gold at the Rio Olympic Games. Three-time Olympic champion Maggie Steffens (captain) builds on her legendary career after golds in London, Rio and Tokyo.

Considered the best water polo player on the planet, Steffens is back for an unprecedented fourth straight attempt at gold, a feat no men's or women's water polo nation has ever accomplished. She's bolstered by a solid mix of Olympic returners and rising stars.

Two-time gold medalist Ashleigh Johnson is back in goal for Team USA, at a position where Team USA has serious depth. Her colleague in the cage is Tokyo Olympic gold medalist and fellow Cutino Award winner, Amanda Longan. Stability is a theme at the attacker spot as well as a trio of two-time gold medalists power that group including Rachel Fattal, Kaleigh Gilchrist and Tokyo MVP Maddie Musselman. These three are the total package with a large arsenal of shots and passes plus years of delivering in the biggest moments as the group has a combined 14 World Championship titles.

Defender Jordan Raney is no stranger to Team USA, a winner of multiple World Championship she breaks through in 2024 to her first Olympic Team after being the final cut for the Tokyo roster. She'll lead a re-tooled group of defenders including the youngest member of the squad in 18-year-old Emily Ausmus. The standout from Riverside's King High School deferred her first year of college water polo at USC to train with Team USA and the decision paid off.

Other first-timers include a completely new center tandem following pivotal retirements after the Tokyo Olympics. Former UC Irvine standout Tara Prentice joins forces with current Princeton star Jovana Sekulic to provide a stellar combo at two meters for Team USA.

A trio of Stanford Cardinal attackers complete the newcomers. 2023 NCAA Champions Ryann Neushul, Jewel Roemer and Jenna Flynn bring some critical offensive firepower to the USA attack. The nomination marks a special moment for the Neushul family as for the third straight Olympic Games, a Neushul will cap up for Team USA following Kiley in Rio and Jamie in Tokyo

This USA squad heads to Paris as the top-ranked team in the world returning to form at the World Championships in Doha earlier this year with a gold medal finish. They had finished off the podium at the 2023 event in Japan, ending a run of four straight world titles. Team USA earned their Olympic berth with a gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.

The roster format returns to the prior Olympic Games – 13 athletes rostered for each match, with no need to select a gameday active roster as seen during the Tokyo Games.

Team USA is the only nation to medal in every Olympic Games featuring women's water polo. They've won gold three times (2012, 2016 & 2020), silver twice (2000 & 2008) and bronze once (2004).

2024 U.S. Olympic Women's Water Polo Team – Olympic Games Paris 2024 (Hometown/College/USA Water Polo Club

Ashleigh Johnson (Miami, FL/Princeton/NYAC)

Maddie Musselman (Newport Beach, CA/UCLA/NYAC)

Tara Prentice (Temecula, CA/UC Irvine/NYAC

Rachel Fattal (Seal Beach, CA/UCLA/NYAC)

Jenna Flynn (San Jose, CA/Stanford/NYAC)

Maggie Steffens (Danville, CA/Stanford/NYAC)

Jordan Raney (Manhattan Beach, CA/Stanford/NYAC)

Ryann Neushul (Goleta, CA/Stanford/NYAC)

Jewel Roemer (Martinez, CA/Stanford/680 Water Polo)

Kaleigh Gilchrist (Newport Beach, CA/USC/NYAC)

Emily Ausmus (Riverside, CA/USC/NYAC)

Jovana Sekulic (Haverford, PA & Belgrade, Serbia/Princeton/NYAC)

Amanda Longan (Moorpark, CA/USC/NYAC)

Head Coach: Adam Krikorian

Assistant Coaches: Molly Cahill and Chris Oeding

Sports Medicine Manager: Larnie Boquiren

Team Manager: Ally Beck

SWISS AQUATICS Vorschau auf die Schwimmeuropameisterschaften

Vom 17. bis 23. Juni finden in Belgrad die Schwimm-Europameisterschaften statt. Rund einen Monat vor Beginn der Olympischen Spiele in Paris bietet sich den Schwimmer:innen die allerletzte Möglichkeit, die Olympialimiten zu unterbieten und sich für die Spiele zu qualifizieren. Im Vorfeld dieser Europameisterschaften, am 12. Juni 2024, lädt Swiss Aquatics Swimming zu einer Online-Medienkonferenz ein.

Swiss Aquatics Swimming hat für diese Europameisterschaften fünf Athletinnen und neun Athleten selektioniert.

Fanny Borer (Genève Natation 1885): 200m Rücken, 100m & 200m Schmetterling

Nina Kost (Genève Natation 1885): 50m Freistil, 50m, 100m & 200m Rücken

Lisa Mamié (Limmat Sharks Zürich): 100m & 200m Brust

Vanna Djakovic (Schwimmclub Uster): 200m, 400m & 800m Freistil

Julia Ullmann (Limmat Sharks Zürich): 50m & 100m Schmetterling

Jérémy Desplanches (Genève Natation 1885): 100m & 200m Brust, 200m Lagen

Antonio Djakovic (Schwimmclub Uster): 100m, 200m & 400m Freistil

Thierry Bollin (Schwimmklub Bern): 50m & 100m Rücken

Roman Mityukov (Genève Natation 1885): 200m Rücken

Flavio Bucca (Schwimmclub Kreuzlingen): 100m & 200m Rücken

Noè Ponti (Nuoto Sport Locarno): 100m Schmetterling

Gian-Luca Gartmann (Schwimmclub Uster): 200m Freistil, 100m Brust, 200m Lagen

Marius Toscan (Schwimmverein St. Gallen-Wittenbach): 200m Freistil, 200m Schmetterling, 200m & 400m Lagen

Tiago Behar (Lausanne Aquatique): 50m, 100m & 200m Freistil

Zudem sind die 4x100m Freistil (Damen, Herren, Mixed), 4x200m Freistil (Damen, Herren, Mixed) sowie 4x100m Lagen (Damen, Herren, Mixed) gemeldet.

(Welche Rennen/Staffeln tatsächlich geschwommen werden, wie auch Besetzung der Staffeln, wird final vor Ort entschieden und könnte noch angepasst werden.)

Neben den arrivierten Kräften werden auch EM-Neulinge mit nach Belgrad reisen. Für Vanna Djakovic, Tiago Behar und Flavio Bucca ist es die erste Elite-EM. So unterschiedlich die Voraussetzungen, unter denen die Athlet:innen an der EM starten, so individuell sind die jeweiligen Zielsetzungen. Für Flavio Bucca oder Vanna Djakovic, der jüngeren Schwester von Olympiateilnehmer Antonio Djakovic, geht es primär darum, Erfahrungen auf höchstem europäischen Niveau zu sammeln. Für etablierte Athlet:innen wie Marius Toscan oder Fanny Borer bilden die Kontinentalmeisterschaften den Saisonhöhepunkt. Ihr Ziel sind Finalteilnahmen in ihren Spezialdisziplinen Vierlagen (Toscan) und Rücken/Schmetterling (Borer). Auch Jérémy Desplanches und Lisa Mamié werden in Bestform nach Belgrad reisen, geht es für sie um die Einzellimite für die Olympischen Spiele in Paris. An den Weltmeisterschaften in Fukuoka im Juli 2023 hatten sie die entsprechenden Zeiten nur um wenige Hundertstel verpasst. Gleich mehrere Athleten haben grosse Ambitionen, sich für ein Olympiaticket in den Herrenstaffeln über 4x200m Freistil bzw. 4x100m Lagen zu empfehlen.

EM als Vorbereitung für Olympia

Für die bereits für Paris qualifizierten Athleten Thierry Bollin (100m Rücken), Antonio Djakovic (400m Freistil), Roman Mityukov (100m / 200m Rücken) und Noè Ponti (100m / 200m Schmetterling) dient diese EM so kurz vor den Spielen als Standortbestimmung.

Einladung zur Online-Medienkonferenz am 12. Juni 2024, 13 Uhr

Am Mittwoch, 12. Juni 2024, lädt Sie Swiss Aquatics Swimming um 13 Uhr zu einer Online-Medienkonferenz ein. Die Top-Schwimmer:innen Lisa Mamié, Thierry Bollin, Jérémy Desplanches, Antonio Djakovic, Roman Mityukov und Noè Ponti, sowie Markus Buck, Leistungssportchef Swiss Aquatics Swimming, werden Ihnen in Slots von jeweils 20 Minuten einzeln für Interviews zur Verfügung stehen.

Wir bitten Sie, bei Ihrer Anmeldung an tanja.moos@swiss-aquatics.ch, die Namen der gewünschten Interviewpartner:innen anzugeben. Anmeldeschluss ist der 07. Juni. Den entsprechenden zeitlichen Ablauf und den Teilnahmelink stellen wir Ihnen nach Anmeldeschluss zu.

Foto: Patrick B. Kramer

SWISS AQUATICS Aperçu des Championnats d'Europe de natation

 

Les Championnats d'Europe de natation se dérouleront à Belgrade du 17 au 23 juin. Un mois avant le début des Jeux olympiques de Paris, les nageurs et nageuses auront la toute dernière chance de battre les minima olympiques et de se qualifier pour les Jeux. Avant ces championnats d'Europe, le 12 juin 2024, Swiss Aquatics Swimming vous invite à une conférence de presse en ligne.

Swiss Aquatics Swimming a sélectionné cinq athlètes féminines et neuf athlètes masculins pour ce championnat d'Europe.

Fanny Borer (Genève Natation 1885): 200m dos, 100m & 200m papillon

Nina Kost (Genève Natation 1885): 50m libre, 50m, 100m & 200m dos

Lisa Mamié (Limmat Sharks Zürich): 100m & 200m brasse

Vanna Djakovic (Schwimmclub Uster): 200m, 400m & 800m libre

Julia Ullmann (Limmat Sharks Zürich): 50m & 100m papillon

Jérémy Desplanches (Genève Natation 1885): 100m & 200m brasse, 200m 4-nages

Antonio Djakovic (Schwimmclub Uster): 100m, 200m & 400m libre

Thierry Bollin (Schwimmklub Bern): 50m & 100m dos

Roman Mityukov (Genève Natation 1885): 200m dos

Flavio Bucca (Schwimmclub Kreuzlingen): 100m & 200m dos

Noè Ponti (Nuoto Sport Locarno): 100m papillon

Gian-Luca Gartmann (Schwimmclub Uster): 200m libre, 100m brasse, 200m 4-nages

Marius Toscan (Schwimmverein St. Gallen-Wittenbach): 200m libre, 200m papillon, 200m & 400m 4-nages

Tiago Behar (Lausanne Aquatique): 50m, 100m & 200m libre

En outre, le 4x100m nage libre (dames, hommes, mixte), le 4x200m nage libre (dames, hommes, mixte) et le 4x100m quatre nages (dames, hommes, mixte) sont inscrits.

(Les courses/relais qui seront effectivement nagés, ainsi que la composition des équipes de relais, seront décidés finalement sur place et pourraient encore être adaptés).

Outre les habitués, des novices de CE se rendront également à Belgrade. Pour Vanna Djakovic, Tiago Behar et Flavio Bucca, il s'agit de leur premier championnat d'Europe Elite. Les conditions dans lesquelles les athlètes participeront à ce championnat d'Europe sont aussi diverses que leurs objectifs respectifs. Pour Flavio Bucca ou Vanna Djakovic, la sœur cadette de l'athlète olympique Antonio Djakovic, il s'agit avant tout d'acquérir de l'expérience au plus haut niveau européen. Pour les athlètes confirmé·e·s comme Marius Toscan ou Fanny Borer, les championnats continentaux constituent le sommet de la saison. Ils visent une place en finale dans leurs disciplines de prédilection, 4-nages (Toscan) et dos/papillon (Borer). Jérémy Desplanches et Lisa Mamié se rendront également à Belgrade en plein affûtage, car il s'agit pour eux de décrocher la limite individuelle pour les Jeux olympiques de Paris. Lors du championnat du monde de Fukuoka en juillet 2023, ils n'avaient manqué les temps correspondants que de quelques centièmes. Plusieurs athlètes ont de grandes ambitions pour obtenir un billet olympique dans les relais masculins du 4x200m nage libre et du 4x100m 4 nages.

Le CE pour préparer les Jeux

Pour les athlètes déjà qualifiés pour Paris, Thierry Bollin (100m dos), Antonio Djakovic (400m nage libre), Roman Mityukov (100m / 200m dos) et Noè Ponti (100m / 200m papillon), ce championnat d'Europe servira à faire le point si proche des Jeux. Les choix de leurs engagements à Belgrade seront décidés dans les semaines à venir.

Invitation à la conférence de presse en ligne le 12 juin 2024 à 13h

Le mercredi 12 juin 2024, Swiss Aquatics Swimming vous invite à une conférence de presse en ligne à 13 heures. Les athlètes Lisa Mamié, Thierry Bollin, Jérémy Desplanches, Antonio Djakovic, Roman Mityukov et Noè Ponti, ainsi que Markus Buck, responsable du sport de compétition chez Swiss Aquatics Swimming, seront à votre disposition pour des interviews individuelles de 20 minutes chacune.

Nous vous remercions d'indiquer le nom des personnes que vous souhaitez interviewer lors de votre inscription à tanja.moos@swiss-aquatics.ch. La date limite d'inscription est le 07 juin. Nous vous ferons parvenir le calendrier et le lien de participation après la clôture des inscriptions.

Foto: Patrick B. Kramer

Swim Ireland - Irish Open Championships and Olympic Trials Conclude in Dublin

 

Swim Ireland’s Irish Open Championships and Olympic Trials concluded on Sunday evening with five individuals now having secured Olympic Qualification Times across nine events. This week, Danielle Hill and Tom Fannon joined Daniel Wiffen, Ellen Walshe and Mona McSharry as individual qualifiers. Ireland have also qualified a Women’s and a Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay with selection to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Across an action packed five days, four Olympic Qualification Times were achieved from Hill, Fannon and Walshe, twenty-two swimmers achieved consideration times for the European Championships in Serbia in June, while seven Irish Senior and eight Irish Junior Records were set.

Speaking at the conclusion of the Championships, Swim Ireland Performance Director Jon Rudd said ‘“After what has arguably been the best five days of domestic swimming racing that this island has seen, we can all feel highly satisfied with where Irish swimming is right now. World Aquatics raised the bar quite considerably after Tokyo 2021 as to what it takes to be an Olympian, and we have a group of athletes who responded to this – some making the grade, and some agonisingly close - the smallest of margins – with seven Irish Senior Records and eight Irish Junior Records written and re-written across these days, the moments that matter. We have a strong Olympic team and European Championships team that will come out of this final Trials, and we can look forward to those announcements in the days to come – followed swiftly by a highly charged and exciting summer for Irish aquatics.”

On Sunday, Shane Ryan once again came close to the Olympic Qualification Time of 48.34 in the 100m Freestyle Final. Swimming in front of a packed National Aquatic Centre Ryan swam 48.66. just outside the Irish Record of 48.49 he swam on Saturday. Ryan claimed gold ahead of Evan Bailey (49.58), who set a new Irish Junior Record of 49.40 in the event on Saturday, and 100m Butterfly Champion Max McCusker (49.98).

In the Men’s 1500m Freestyle Final Nathan Wiffen swam a brilliant fourteen second lifetime best to blow away the rest of the field. Wiffen had entered the competition with a best time of 15:21.11 and lowered that to 15:06.48 to win the national title in a new Championship Record (15:07.07) and consideration time for the European Championships. The 22-year-old was just outside the Olympic Qualification Time of 15:00.99. Second place went to National Centre Limerick’s Denis O’Brien with Sean Bugler of Sundays Well claiming bronze in 16:41.50.

In the Women’s 50m Backstroke Final Danielle Hill came agonisingly close to breaking her own 50m Backstroke Irish Record. Hill, who has qualified for the Paris Games in the 50m Freestyle and 100m Backstroke, was just one hundredth of a second off the 27.64 she swam at the Ulster Championships three weeks ago, touching in 27.65 to win the national title. UCDs Jena Macdougald was the silver medallist in 29.03 with bronze going to 100m and 200m Champion Lottie Cullen of National Centre Ulster in 29.43.

Ellen Walshe, who secured an Olympic Qualification Time in this morning’s heats of the 400m Individual Medley in 4:38.05, cruised to victory in this evening’s final in 4.43.62. Templeogue’s Walshe was followed home by Limerick’s Hannah O’Connor in 5:06.70 and European Juniors qualifier Niamh Connery of Shark (5:12.65). Walshe’s younger sister Eva was also competing in the final, finishing sixth in 5:21.57.

John Shortt claimed his second national title of the week, adding 50m Backstroke gold to the 200m gold he won on Saturday night. Shortt clocked 25.80 ahead of Coolmine’s Gavin Keogh (26.11) and NAC’s Matthew Walsh Hussey (26.33).

Banbridge’s Adam Wilson claimed his first national title in the Men’s 400m Medley Final. Wilson clocked 4:38.40 ahead of New Ross’ Emmet Cousins (4:43.42) and Kilkenny’s Leonardo Reis (4:44.76).

The smallest of margins separated Victoria Catterson and Grace Davison in a great battle in the 200m Freestyle Final. Catterson, of National Centre Dublin, got the touch in 2:00.62, just one hundredth of a second ahead of Ards’ Davison in 2:00.63. National Centre Limerick’s Maria Godden was third in 2:04.95.

Earlier in the evening Davison had won gold and the national title in the 50m Freestyle. The 16-year-old won in 26.02 ahead of UCD’s Jena Macdougald and Sundays Wells’ Eva Harrington (26.78).

In the 200m Butterfly National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin was the only swimmer under the two-minute mark. Cassin secured a European Championships consideration time of 1:59.84 ahead of his teammate Brogan McAviney (2:04.28) and Glenalbyn’s Sean Donnellan (2:07.18).

Eoin Corby and Darragh Greene went head-to head for the national title in the Men’s 200m Breaststroke. Corby, of National Centre Limerick got the touch in 2:11.37, just ahead of National Centre Dublin’s Greene in 2:11.95. ESB’s Jack Kelly won bronze in 2:13.11. Corby and Kelly were once again under the consideration time for the European Championships.

In the Women’s 200m Breaststroke Final Ellie McCartney won her second gold medal, adding to 200m Individual Medley gold from earlier in the week. McCartney of National Centre Limerick touched in a European Championships consideration time of 2:29.20 ahead of National Centre Dublin’s Niamh Coyne (2:30.46) and Limerick’s Olwyn Cooke (2:32.70).

Holly McInerney, who won 1500m Freestyle silver and 400m Freestyle bronze, completed her collection of medals with gold in the 800m Freestyle Final. The Templeogue swimmer touched in 9:16.34 ahead of Bangor’s Eva Hand (9:21.09) and Kilkenny’s Nessa Godden (9:25.62).

Winner in the 200m Individual Medley, Lachey Reed of Bangor added the 50m Breaststroke Title on Sunday. Reed clocked 29.05, just one hundredth of a second ahead of Terenure’s Liam O’Connor in 29.06, while London 2012 Olympian and Guinness SC swimmer Barry Murphy was third in 29.87.

In the Women’s 50m Breaststroke Final Sunday’s Wells’ Isabelle Kidney topped the podium in 32.31, Portmarnock’s Ava Jones was second in 32.37 with National Centre Limerick’s Eimear Doyle third in 32.52.

The final event of the Championships, the 50m Butterly, saw Dylan Registe claim the men’s title in 24.61 ahead of Ennis’ Dylan O’Brien (25.17) and NAC’s Isaac Fitzmaurice (25.23) while in the women’s final Ards’ Emma Reid and UCD’s Jena Macdougald shared gold with both touching in 27.92. National Centre Limerick’s Lucy O’Brien was third in 28.48.

Super Final Results:

M 50m Backstroke 1st J Shortt National Centre Limerick 26.11 2nd G Keogh Coolmine 26.11 3rd M Walsh Hussey NAC 26.33

W 50m Backstroke 1st D Hill Larne 27.65 2nd J Macdougald UCD 29.03 3dr L Cullen National Centre Ulster 29.43

M 1500m Freestyle 1st N Wiffen Larne 15:06.48 2nd D O’Brien National Centre Limerick 16:22.96 3rd S Bugler Sundays Well 16:41.50

W 400m IM 1st E Walshe Templeogue 4:43.62 2nd H O’Connor Limerick 5:06.70 3rd N Connery Shark 5:12.65

M 200m Butterfly 1st J Cassin National Centre Limerick 1:59.84 2nd B McAviney National Centre Limerick 2:04.28 3rd S Donnellan Glenalbyn 2:07.18

W 50m Freestyle 1st G Davison Ards 26.02 2nd J Macdougald UCD 27.75 3rd E Harrington Sundays Well 26.78

M 200m Breaststroke 1st E Corby National Centre Limerick 2:11.37 2nd D Greene National Centre Dublin 2:11.95 3rd J Kelly ESB 2:13.11

W 200m Breaststroke 1st E McCartney National Centre Limerick 2:29.20 2nd N Coyne National Centre Dublin 2:30.46 3rd O Cooke Limerick 2:32.70

M 400m IM 1st A Wilson Banbridge 4:38.40 2nd E Cousins New Ross 4:43.42 3rd L Reis Kilkenny 4:44.76

W 200m Freestyle 1st V Catterson National Centre Dublin 2:00.62 2nd G Davison Ards 2:00.63 3rd M Godden National Centre Limerick 2:04.95

M 100m Freestyle 1st S Ryan National Centre Dublin 48.66 2nd E Bailey New Ross 49.58 3rd M McCusker Dolphin 49.98

W 800m Freestyle 1st H McInerney Templeogue 9:16.34 2nd E Hand Bangor 9:21.09 3rd N Godden Kilkenny 9:25.62

M 50m Breaststroke 1st L Reed Bangor 29.05 2nd L O’Connor Terenure 29.06 3rd Barry Murphy Guinness 29.87

W 50m Breaststroke 1st I Kidney Sundays Well 2nd A Jones Portmarnock 32.37 3rd E Doyle National Centre Limerick 32.52

M 50m Butterfly 1st D Registe Lisburn 24.61 2nd D O’Brien Ennis 25.17 3rd I Fitzmaurice NAC 25.23

W 50m Butterfly 1st E Reid Ards & J Macdougald UCD 27.92 3rd L O’Brien National Centre Limerick 28.48

Swim Ireland - Ellen Walshe Secures 400m Individual Medley Olympic Time

 

Ellen Walshe starred on the final morning of swimming at the Irish Open Championships and Olympic Trials as the Templeogue swimmer secured a second Olympic Qualification Time in the 400m Individual Medley.

Walshe, already qualified for the games in the 200m Individual Medley, swam an impressive 4:38.05 in the 400m IM, just one tenth of a second outside the Irish Record of 4:37.94 she set three weeks ago at the Leinster Championships.

Danielle Hill continued her great form on the final morning of competition and progresses as top seed to the final of the 50m Backstroke. Hill, who has qualified for the Paris Games in the 50m Freestyle and 100m Backstroke this week in new Irish Records, was just outside her 50m Backstroke Irish Record of 27.95 touching in 28.39.

Hill will not compete in this evening’s 50m Freestyle Super Final where she set a new Irish Record of 24.68 to go under the Olympic Qualification Time of 24.70 on Saturday.

Banbridge’s Adam Wilson secured the centre lane for the Men’s 400m Individual Medley Final in 4:44.27 ahead of Kilkenny’s Leonardo Reis (4:51.21) and New Ross’ Emmet Cousins (4:53.19).

200m Backstroke Champion John Shortt is the fastest qualifier out of the Men’s 50m Backstroke in 25.96.

London 2012 Olympian Barry Murphy, swimming for Guinness SC, posted the fastest time in the Men’s 50m Breaststroke touching in 28.92. Murphy last won a national title in the event in 2014.

In the Women’s 50m Breaststroke, 15-year-old Ava Jones will take the centre lane after a lifetime best swim of 32.35.

Lisburn’s Dylan Registe was the fastest Irish swimmer in this morning’s heats of the 50m Butterfly, registe clocked 24.92 just behind Sweden’s Jonathan King in 24.83. In the women’s heats, Ards’ Emma Reid was the only swimmer under twenty-eight seconds in 27.61.

Sunday evening will be the final action from the Irish Open and Olympic Trials with a final shot for Irish swimmers to add their names to the Paris 2024 roster. Sixteen national champions will be crowned in the Men and Women’s 50m Backstroke, 400m Individual Medley, 200m Breaststroke, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Butterfly, the Women’s 50m, 200m and 800m Freestyle and the Men’s 100m and 1500m Freestyle and 200m Butterfly.

WORLD TRIATHLON Cassandre Beaugrand fires off olympic-distance warning with gold in Cagliari

 

Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) was back to her imperious best on Saturday morning in Sardinia, finding yet another decisive gear down the home straight to see off her last challenger Lisa Tertsch (GER) after a colossal finale to the 10km run.

It had been too tight to call as the run boiled down to that duo, Emma Lombardi (FRA) and Beth Potter (GBR), the defending world champion looking in command until the final 500m when Beaugrand dug in for one last push.

It was a first Series gold at the Olympic distance and at the perfect time two months out from a huge home Games, Tertsch settling for silver, Potter holding on for the bronze.

The 1500m ocean swim was not an easy one in Cagliari. The 60 women toeing the start line faced a wetsuit swim on choppy water that proved to be challenging even for the greater swimmers of the pack. Maya Kingma (NED), Bianca Seregni (ITA) and Beth Potter (GBR) where the first ones hitting the sand to quickly turn around the bouys and get back again in the water for the second lap, but with a relatively big group right at their feet.

A group that had indeed almost all the big names on it, including Cassandra Beaugrand (FRA), Taylor Spivey (USA), Flora Dufy (BER), Emma Lombardi (FRA) o Taylor Knibb (USA), just to name a few, all of them hitting transition less than 10 seconds behind the leader.

Kate Waugh (GBR) was the last athlete to make contact with the lead group of 14 athletes and they jumped on their bikes knowing that they would have to work hard to avoid the chase group, that included strong bikers like Sophie Coldwell (GBR), Lisa Terstch (GER) or Katie Zaferes (USA). For Coldwell and Zaferes making contact with the lead group was key, knowing that the eyes of the selectors that will be naming each countries’s team for the Paris Olympics were in Cagliari taking notes.

A small group of six motivated athletes is probably the best scenario when it comes to a chase group, and before the end of the second lap -out of ten-, the lead group became a massive train of 24 athletes that would then rode together until the end of the 40km bike ride.

With a flat bike course like the one in Cagliari, it was just a matter of negotiating carefully the multiple corners, avoid trouble and try to sabe as much legs as possible for the final 10k. That was the mission for Zaferes, Laura Lindemann (GER) or Potter most of the time, while ahead of the lead group, Knibb tried unsuccessfully to break the train apart. On the bell lap, the leaders had more than three minutes over the chase group, led by a desperate Leonie Periault (FRA), Alberte Kjær Pedersen (NED) and Lotte Miller (NOR).

Periault, who was wearing the number one after her stunning victory on the opening WTCS of the season two weeks ago in Yokohama, had an average swim and couldn’t make up ground with the group.

Up front, the large pack of 24 women hit the second transition together, and it was Emma Lombardi who was first on her running shoes, but with a group of ten women in less than 8 seconds behind her. Lombardi decided to push hard from the gun. She was quickly followed by her compatriot Beaugrand, and Beth Potter, but quickly the other three British joined the party, with Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR), Sophie Coldwell and Kate Waugh knowing that a podium in Cagliari would mean almost automatically a ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics. Also in the lead group was Jeanne Lehair (LUX), while behind the leading six Katie Zaferes fighted to remain in touch, knowing also that a top 5 result would write her name on bold letters on the notebooks of the selectors for Team USA.

Half-way through the run, the group of six leading was joined by Lisa Tertscht, who looked fresh and calm, while behind them the group started to stretch, with Knibb, Kate Waugh, Zaferes, Duffy, Spivey and Verena Steinhauser (ITA) not able to keep on with the pace of the leaders.

On the bell lap, the leading six became only four, dropping Taylor-Brown and Coldwell, to face the last kilometer looking at each other trying to decide when to do the last push. And it was Beaugrand the one going for it with the finish line on sight, managing to open a few meters with Terstcht, that will end up crossing the finish line in second place, while Potter grabbed the last spot of the podium. A disappointed Lombardi crossed the finish line in fourth, obviously not enough for her but enough to make her the new World Triathlon Championship Series leader, while Lehair rounded the top five.

This was the first-ever victory for Beaugrand on a standard distance WTCS, one that feels even better only two and a half months before the Olympics in Paris this summer. “I kept telling myself ‘you can not lose this race, you have to keep fighting´, and I did. I haven’t been able to run much in the last two weeks, but I decided to go for it today, I didn’t want to wait until the end so I just pushed and it worked. I didn’t want to lose a sprint again, so I am very happy today”, she explained.

“I was fighting until the end, but I am very happy. I know how people races, I observe them, we were all watching each other… it was fun”, said Lisa. “I already qualified for the Olympics last year, so this year is just preparing for it, but I am very happy with how preparations are going”.

“I went for the win today and got third, but I am happy”, said Potter. “My goal is end of July to be on top form, but I am confident of where I am now. I had a bad cold a couple of weeks ago but I feel OK now”.

On the British battle for the Olympic team, Taylor-Brown was the second Brit to cross the finish line in sixth place, on what she hopes that could be enough to prove to the selectors that she deserves one of the golden tickets to the Games, while Sophie Coldwell finished in seventh place. On the other side, Waugh was the fourth Brit on the finish line today, and her 10th place might not be enough to make the Olympic selection.

Team USA also was following closely their athletes, and it was Knibb the first American on the finish line, in 11th place, with Zaferes right behind her, a 12th place that felt great for the double Olympic medalist. Spivey, one of the most consistent American athletes so far, managed to finish in 15th place, while Kirsten Kasper did not have the legs today, and could only finish in 21st place, after her brilliant 5th place in WTCS Yokohama.

The current Olympic champion, Flora Duffy, crossed the finish line in 8th place, with a negative split in the last 5km, and Nina Eim finished in 9th place.

Results: Elite Women

1.Cassandre Beaugrand FRA01:47:25

2.Lisa Tertsch GER01:47:28

3.Beth Potter GBR01:47:31

4.Emma Lombardi FRA01:47:32

5.Jeanne Lehair LUX01:47:51

Swim Ireland - Danielle Hill Smashes Freestyle Record Securing Another Olympic Time; Shane Ryan Lowers Newly Minted 100m Freestyle Record

Swim Ireland’s Irish Open Championships and Olympic Trials continued at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre on Saturday with an electric night of racing highlighted by Danielle Hill with a new Irish Record and Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) in the 50m Freestyle and a new Irish 100m Freestyle Record from Shane Ryan.

Larne’s Hill, who had set a new Irish Record of 24.95 in the heats of the 50m Freestyle on Saturday morning, lowered that time to 24.68 on Saturday night to cement her status as Ireland’s fastest ever female swimmer. The 24-year-old who qualified for her second Olympic Games in the 100m Backstroke on Wednesday, secured another OQT going two hundredths of a second under the World Aquatics standard of 24.70.

Speaking after the race, Hill, who was cheered on by a huge crowd of young Larne swimmers said ‘I am absolutely over the moon, I’m not quite as emotional as day one. I had a little bit more fun tonight with that, there was a massive crowd down to see me so I couldn’t disappoint them. I just had a bit of fun and swam without stress or pressure and I think that’s what made the difference’.

Shane Ryan, who had also set a new Irish Record this morning in the 100m Freestyle, lowered his time from 48.55 to 48.49 in the A Final, edging closer to the OQT of 48.34. Ryan will have another shot at securing a place on his third Olympic team in Sunday’s Super Final.

Paris qualified Ellen Walshe swam her second fastest time ever in the 100m Butterfly to win tonight’s Super Final and her first national title of the week in 58.07 seconds. Walshe, who has qualified for the Games in the 200m Individual Medley, was just outside her Irish Record of 57.96. The Templeogue swimmer returns to the pool on Sunday for the 400m Individual Medley, an event in which she set a new Irish Record of 4:37.94 just three weeks ago. Silver in the 100m Butterfly went to National Centre Limerick’s Lucy O’Brien (1:03.29) while Sundays Well Izzy McGrath claimed bronze in 1:04.95.

John Shortt had the full support of the National Aquatic Centre behind him in the 200m Backstroke Super Final. The 17-year-old, who set a new Irish Record of 1:57.90 on Friday, swam his second fastest time ever, winning the national title, for the second consecutive year, in 1:58.38. The National Centre Limerick swimmer has been under the consideration time for both the European Junior and European Senior Swimming Championships this Summer.

Lottie Cullen doubled up on national titles and European Championships consideration times adding 200m Backstroke to the 100m Backstroke she won on Thursday. Cullen, of National Centre Ulster, topped the podium in 2:14.10 ahead of National Centre Limerick’s Maria Godden (2:14.10) and Ballina Dolphins Annabelle Wilkinson (2:17.05).

Bangor’s Lachey Reed won his first national title in the Men’s 200m Individual Medley Final. Reed was the clear winner in 2:07.99 ahead of Aer Lingus’ Brendan Ryan (2:09.11) and National Centre Ulster’s Adam Colgan in 2:09.95.

In the Women’s 200m Breaststroke A Final a great battle between National Centre Limerick’s Ellie McCartney and National Centre Dublin’s Niamh Coyne saw McCartney take the top seed for Sunday’s Super Final in 2:29.67, just six hundredths of a second ahead of Coyne in 2:29.73. McCartney also achieved the consideration time for the European Championships in the event.

The Men’s 200m Breaststroke A Final was a tight affair as four swimmers sprinted for the finish. While Tuam’s Uiseann Cooke led for much of the race, it was Darragh Greene who had the best finish, clocking 2:11.92 to take lane four in tomorrow’s Super Final. Greene’s National Centre Dublin teammate Eoin Corby was second in 2:11.92 with Cooke third in 2:12.89. Corby, Cooke and fourth place finisher Jack Kelly (2:13.92) were all under the European Championships Consideration Time.

National Centre Dublin’s Victoria Catterson and Ards’ Grace Davison will go head-to-head in Sunday’s 200m Freestyle Super Final with the pair the clear favourites after Saturday’s A Final. Catterson will take the centre lane with a time of 2:01.04, while Davison, who swam a lifetime best of 2:01.56 will take lane five.

Jack Cassin of National Centre Limerick advances to the 200m Butterfly Super Final after he won today’s A Final in 2:00.83. Cassin’s teammates at NCL Brogan McAviney (2:03.30) and Ronan Kilcoyne (2:06.58) were next home.

Sunday will be the final day of action from the Irish Open and Olympic Trials where sixteen national champions will be crowned in the Men and Women’s 50m Backstroke, 400m Individual Medley, 200m Breaststroke, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Butterfly, the Women’s 50m, 200m and 800m Freestyle and the Men’s 100m and 1500m Freestyle and 200m Butterfly.

WORLD TRIATHLON Alex Yee scores big in Cagliari after another epic battle with Wilde

 

The Men’s race of World Triathlon Championship Series Cagliari looked like a repeat of the 2023 edition. Alex Yee (GBR) and Hayden Wilde (NZL) proved once again that they are on a league of their own and delivered another battle for the ages, that ended up with the Brit finding an extra gear to cross the finish line a couple of meters ahead of the Kiwi, exactly as it happened last year. It was also an incredible day at the office for Csongor Lehmann (HUN), who crossed the finish line in third on what it is the first WTCS podium of his career.

Strong winds and rain forced a 30 minutes delay on the start of the Men’s race, and by the time that the 60 men lined up on the Poetto Beach, in Cagliari, it was clear that the non-wetsuit swim will be a challenging one, with strong currents and waves that made the navigation and entry in the water not an easy one. The lead pack, commanded by Alessio Crociani (ITA) and Alberto Gonzalez García (ESP) was trying to stay aligned with the bouys, and behind them Pierre Le Corre (FRA), Morgan Pearson (USA), Jonas Schomburg (GER) and Csongor Lehmann (HUN) tried to make an impact on the race, knowing that if they managed to open a small break, the wind will play on their favor when they would mount on their bikes.

But the current was too strong to allow the great swimmers to open a gap, and a big group made it to the beach together, including the French Army of Leo Bergere and Vincent Luis. More importantly, Alex Yee (GBR) and Hayden Wilde (NZL) exited the water only 15 seconds behind the leaders, with Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) only four seconds behind them.

Pearson, Miguel Hidalgo (BRA) and the French pushed hard on the run out of the water and mounted their bikes quickly, and managed to leave transition a few seconds ahead of a small chase group that included Yee, Wilde, Marten van Riel (BEL), Charles Pacquet (CAN) and Ricardo Batista (POR). Behind them, Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) was the last one to make the chase group, while Hugo Milner (GBR) lost his wheel for just a few seconds, enough to end up with the rising star of team GB losing ground and on a different group.

Being chased on the bike by Blummenfelt, Wilde and Van Riel is not an easy task for anyone, and in just two laps the two groups merged into a large one, and from then on the 40km bike ride was a secession of attempts to break away. Wilde and Bergere were the first ones to try, but the Kiwi was marked by Samuel Dickinson (GBR), who didn’t help at all on the attempt to break away, and the attempt ended up with Wilde and Bergere reabsorbed by the main lead group.

Up in front, Blummenfelt, Wilde and Schomburg were taking turns to push the pace as much as possible, while on the back of the group, Morgan Pearson was barely hanging on. Half way through the bike, Pearson lost contact completely, and together with Crociani they rode solo for the rest of the bike segment.

With five laps to go, it was Blummenfelt the one that would loose almost two minutes, due to a flat tire that he had to change on the neutral wheel stop.

By the time they all hit the second transition, it was clear that the race would be another showdown between Yee and Wilde, an exact repetition of the previous year’s race. But with an open question mark: would Wilde be able to pass Yee at the end?

As soon as they both were on their running shoes, they never looked back. Shoulder to shoulder for 10 km, both athletes seemed to be enjoying each other’s company, and were carefully monitoring each other to decide when to give it a try.

It was Wilde going first, but Yee did a bit of yo-yoeing to catch up with the Olympic bronze medallist. Behind them, Bergere, Luis, Batista, Schomburg and another half a dozen of men were trying to position themselves but the leading duo was just impossible to catch.

From the early stages of the 10km run it looked crystal clear that the rest of the field would be fighting for the third place on the podium, while Yee and Wilde continued was looked like an easy jog, but was really a frantic run. With less than 2 kilometers to go, Wilde tried a move but Yee made up ground in just a matter of seconds, and by the time the last 180 turn to face the finish line was already on sight, Yee looked up, crisped his hands and went for it, leaving Wilde slightly behind, enough for the Brit to cross the finish line in first place, his third consecutive win in Cagliari.

“I hope everyone enjoyed it today. I gave everything I had, same for him, and I hope it carries on for the rest of the year”, said Yee. “Each of us were making little moves here and there. I’m pleased to be back racing. My swim today was really positive, even though it was chaotic out there, but I am pleased”, said Yee.

Wilde claimed the silver place, stopping the clock on 29:13, just one second slower than Yee, a time that proves that the job done during the winter is paying off. “It’s a great time racing like this. Is not all about how you finished, Im really pleased with my swim today, I came out of the water in the front pack. Im getting closer and closer. I know what I need to work on. This is a great tune in before Paris. I tried to break away on the bike but (some guys) were not helping much but I am pleased with how I raced today, and I am really happy to be back in the circuit”, explained Wilde.

The bronze medal was for Lehmann, a career-best result for the Hungarian, who had never been on a WTCS podium before. “It’s unbelievable. I was really close many ties in the past years and finally Im here. Congratulations to Alex and Hayden, they were great today. I am very thankful to the team around me. I hope this is only the start”, he said, after having raced three consecutive weeks in three different continents.

Vetle Bergsvik Thorn (NOR) had another outstanding run, despite racing under the heat in Huatulco merely one week ago, and crossed the line in fourth place, while Batista also had a career best, finishing in fifth place.

But the biggest smile of all when crossing the finish line was from Pierre Le Corre, sixth on the day, a place that gives him a direct spot on the French team for Paris 2024.  It will be now a decision of the French Team selectors to award the other two spots on the team, discretionary, to either Vincent Luis (9th today), Leo Bergere (16th place today), or Dorian Coninx, who didn’t race in Cagliari as he went through surgery to recover from the crash in Yokohama two weeks ago.

With Cagliari being the last race of the Olympic qualification period, not only the top positions were celebrated. Alberto Gonzalez (ESP) cried of joy when he crossed the finish line in 11th place, guaranteeing Spain a third man on the Paris 2024 olympics, a third spot that lost Hungary, that will only have two men in Paris. Jonas Schomburg crossed the finish line in 10th place, knowing that he has also secured his start in Paris. And also satisfied was Hugo Milner (GBR), who had another impressive run on his second ever WTCS race, with a split of 29:18, only six seconds slower than Yee and five slower than Wilde.

Results: Elite Men

1.           Alex Yee           GBR    01:39:44

2.           Hayden Wilde             NZL     01:39:46

3.           Csongor Lehmann   HUN   01:40:27

4.           Vetle Bergsvik Thorn             NOR   01:40:36

5.           Ricardo Batista          POR    01:40:3

Marc-Antoine Olivier grabs upset win over Fontaine and Rasovszky in the waters of Golfo Aranci

 

The second stop of the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup 2024 tour got underway Saturday morning in the waters of Golfo Aranci on the island of Sardinia west of the Italian mainland.

France’s Marc-Antoine Olivier and Logan Fontaine claimed the 1-2 finish in the men’s 10km, a sign of good things to come for them in a home Olympics in 11 weeks time. The French duo, who also went 1-2 in the 5km earlier this year at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, will be the French representatives in this event at the Paris Olympics this summer.

Hungary’s David Betlehem set the pace early to lead through the first of six laps on the course, trying to break any of the pretenders early as he took the first 1666 meters in 17:33. Betlehem was joined on lap two by teammate Kristof Rasovszky, the World Champion from earlier this year, along with the Australian duo of Thomas Raymond and Nicholas Sloman.

As the race stretched out, the Hungarians stayed within a touch of the leaders as the Australians took over on lap two, while Italy’s Marcello Guidi tried to lead the charge on lap three before he was taken over by Betlehem again, who was going for the available sprint points.

Betlehem took advantage of his lead at the halfway point and seemingly tried to break the pack on lap four, holding a lead of about two meters through the end of lap five.

Lingering in the shadows on lap five was the French duo of Logan Fontaine and Marc-Antoine Olivier. After scoring a 1-2 finish at the World Championships this year in February in the 5km, the two Frenchman seem to be peaking at the right time 11 weeks out from a home Olympics in the Seine River in Paris. Fontaine, age 25, stayed on Betlehem’s feet for the entirety of lap five with Olivier in tow in a fight with Rasovszky for the third spot.

By the start of lap six, Fontaine drew even with Betlehem and Olivier stayed on the Hungarian’s feet. As the finish line neared, Betlehem held his own as he fended off challenges thrown from the likes of Sloman and Great Britain’s Hector Pardoe. At around the 9km mark, Rasovszky took over the lead, creating his own line. After trading the lead back and forth with Olivier and Fontaine, Olivier took the lead for good with about 300 meters to go.

As the lead pack entered the finish chute, Olivier had it all wrapped up, reaching the pad at 1:50:03.00, with Fontaine completing the 1-2 finish with silver at 1:50:04.40, out-touching Rasovszky (1:50:04.50). Betlehem finished just off the medals in fourth at 1:50:04.80.

Italy’s Andrea Filadelli (1:50:08.40), the home nation’s highest finisher, was fifth, ahead of Israel’s Matan Roditi (1:50:08.70) and Great Britain’s Pardoe (1:50:09.90).

Image Source: Andrea Masini/Deep Blue Media/World Aquatics

Ana Marcela Cunha Back on top in the second stop of the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup 2024

 

It had been nearly two full years since the last time Brazil’s Ana Marcela Cunha had won an open water race internationally, dating back to the 2022 Marathon Swim World Series stop in France in July of that year. On Friday morning in Golfo Aranci, Cunha, age 32, found herself back on top, winning the 10km at the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup over the likes of teammate Vivianne Jungblut and last year’s World champion Leonie Beck.

This has been the end of a long climb back to the top for Cunha, who underwent shoulder surgery towards the end of 2022 after winning the Olympic gold in 2021 and winning two World titles in 2022. After finishing fifth in the 10km at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, and fourth earlier this year in February, it appeared that there was a changing of the guard in open water swimming.

But on Friday morning in Golfo Aranci, Cunha changed that narrative 11 weeks out from the Olympic race in Paris.

The race was paced early by the likes of Hungary’s Bettina Fabian, Italy’s Ginevra Taddeucci and Brazil’s Jungbluth. The pace was not as hot as the men’s race held earlier in the day and that caused a lot of lead changes to occur over the front half. Through 5000 meters, Jungbluth led the likes of Australia’s Bianca Crisp and Japan’s Airi Ebina.

Portugal’s Angelica Andre swam to the front of the pack on lap four, building on her bronze from this year’s World Aquatics Championships, and held the lead steadily over the likes of Crisp and Jungbluth through the middle of lap five.

Ginevra Taddeucci of Italy and Sharon van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands emerged with the lead on lap five. They overtook Andre to gather the available sprint points on the odd laps. They took the pack into the final lap as van Rouwendaal took the lead.

After sitting near the back of the pack for the front half, van Rouwendaal seemed to take control into the finish, holding a sizeable lead and fighting off any challengers on the final lap.

But with about 700 meters to go, Germany’s Beck and Brazil’s Cunha made their moves, overtaking the likes of France’s Caroline Jouisse and Brazil’s Jungbluth in the chase pack, breaching the lead of van Rouwendaal. Beck took the lead with 500 meters to go and tried to distance herself away from van Rouwendaal’s line. With about 100 meters to go, Cunha took over the lead and it was the same movie all over again - the race coming down to Cunha, Beck, and van Rouwendaal, the last three major champions in the 10km.

Cunha formed her own line on the outside, and descended into the finish with her first gold in two years at 2:02:00.70. Jungbluth followed Cunha’s line, stealing the silver at 2:02:02.00, ahead of Beck (2:02:02.20) and van Rouwendaal (2:02:02.30).

France’s Jouisse (2:02:04.70), Hungary’s Fabian (2:02:04.80), Japan’s Ebina (2:02:04.90), Italy’s Taddeucci (2:02:05.00), and Portugal’s Andre (2:02:05.40) were right behind in the chase pack, with Mariah Denigan (2:02:07.10) of the United States rounding out the top ten.

The race water temperature was reported to be at 19 degrees Celsius at the start of the men’s race. This is the last World Cup stop before the Olympic Games on the 8th and 9th of August.  Tomorrow comes the Mixed 4x1500m Relay before the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup 2024 series resumes in October in Setubal, Portugal.

Image Source: Andrea Masini/Deep Blue Media/World Aquatics

Swim Ireland - Danielle Hill and Shane Ryan Scorch New Irish Records on Penultimate Morning at Irish Open and Olympic Trials

The penultimate morning of Swim Ireland’s Irish Open Championships and Olympic Trials saw Danielle Hill blaze through the NAC pool to cement her status as Ireland’s fastest ever woman while Shane Ryan and Evan Bailey set new standards in the 100m Freestyle.

Larne swimmer Hill stopped the clock on 24.95, dipping under the 25-second mark for the first time and setting a new Irish and Championship Record. Hill’s previous best was 25.15 set in 2022. The 24-year-old, who earlier in the week reserved her seat on the plane to Paris, will target the 50 Free Olympic Qualification Time of 24.70 later this evening.

Shane Ryan brought down his 2018 100m Freestyle Irish Senior Record (48.68), swimming an impressive 48.55 in this morning’s heat, a time that also broke his Championship Record set in 2018. The National Centre (Dublin) swimmer secured top seed for the A Final later in a European Championships Consideration Time and now has his sights set on the OQT of 48.34.

In the same event, rising star Evan Bailey set his fourth Irish Junior Record of the week. The New Ross swimmer clocked 49.40, breaking Gerry Quinn’s 2016 record of 50.00, to advance to the A Final second fastest. Bailey, who already secured European consideration times in the 200m Freestyle and 100m Butterfly, added the 100m Freestyle to the list.

Nathan Wiffen was fastest out of the 1500 Freestyle Heat, the Loughborough swimmer looked comfortable as he glided through the NAC pool in a time of 16:35.80. Wiffen heads into tomorrow evenings final as fastest qualifier with his sights set on the Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) of 15:00.99.

Amelia Kane, fresh off the back of winning the 400m Freestyle national gold medal last night, came home fastest in the 800m Freestyle Heats with 9:14.72. Holly McInerney (Templeogue) was second fastest with 9:20.18, both will go head-to-head for the national gold in tomorrow’s final.

Just five tenths of a second separated National Centre Limerick’s Ellie McCartney (2:32.48) and National Centre Dublin’s Niamh Coyne (2:32.94) in this morning’s 200m Breaststroke Heat, both returning to the blocks later this evening with ambitions to advance to tomorrow’s Super Final.

Reigning 200m Breaststroke National Champion Darragh Greene secured top seed with 2:12.36, with Jack Kelly (ESB) second fastest qualifier with 2:13.86, achieving the consideration time for the European Aquatics Championships. Greene’s National Centre (Dublin) teammate Eoin Corby was third quickest (2:14.35).

In the 200m Freestyle Ards’ Grace Davison, swimming in heat one, advanced through the heats quickest in 2:02.73. Davison will look to continue her impressive week as she returns to the blocks later this evening for the A Final. Irish Record holder in the event, Victoria Catterson, was second fastest in 2:03.70.

The men’s 200m Butterfly brought the morning session to a close as Jack Cassin secured top seed in 2:02.04.

Tonight, will see John Shortt (200m Backstroke) and Ellen Walshe (100m Butterfly) return for Super Finals in their respective events. Other Super Finals this evening includes the Women’s 200m Backstroke and Men’s 200m Individual Medley. Competition continues from 5pm.

Swim Ireland - John Shortt Breaks Irish Record to Edge Closer to Olympic Standard

 

17-year-old John Shortt highlighted day three finals of the Irish Open Championships and Olympic Trials with a new Irish Record in the 200m Backstroke.

The National Centre Limerick swimmer took over half a second off his own record of 1:58.47 set in the semi-final at the World Championships in Doha earlier this year. Shortt’s time of 1:57.90 is now just four tenths of a second off the Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) of 1:57.50. The Galway man will go again on Saturday in the Super Final.

Cormac Rynn had an outstanding swim in the 400m Freestyle Super Final to claim gold and his first national title in a new Irish Junior Record of 3:54.06. Rynn’s first venture below the four-minute mark only came in the Friday morning heats where he touched in 3:57.79. A first Irish Record for the Roscommon man, his time was also under the consideration time for the European Championships. In a full National Centre Limerick podium Finn McGeever was second in 4:00.39 while Denis O’Brien claimed bronze in 4:06.48.

Calum Bain held off teammate and Thursday night’s Olympic Games qualifier Tom Fannon in the Final of the 50m Freestyle to take the national title. Bain swam a lifetime best of 22.06 seconds, just one tenth of a second off the Olympic Qualification Time of 21.96. In second, Fannon clocked 22.07 while Oisin Tebite completed a National Centre Dublin clean sweep in 22.79 for bronze. All three swimmers were under the consideration time for the European Championships.

In the Women’s 100m Freestyle Final Grace Davison and Victoria Catterson battled for the top spot on the podium. It was 16-year-old Davison of Ards, who set two Irish Junior Records in the event earlier in the week, who got to the wall first in 55.56, National Centre Dublin’s Catterson just behind in 55.72. Erin Riordan, also of NCD, was third in 56.71.

In the Men’s 100m Butterfly Super Final Max McCusker swam his second fastest time ever touching in 51.96, just outside the Irish Record of 51.90 from Thursday’s heats. McCusker claimed gold in a European Championships consideration time ahead of National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin (54.17) and Brogan McAviney (54.96).

Amelia Kane cruised to victory in the Women’s 400m Freestyle Final. The Ards swimmer clocked 4:21.93 ahead of Sarasota Shark’s Grace Hodgins (4:28.91) and Templeogue’s Holly McInerney (4:30.81)

Darragh Greene won the 100m Breaststroke Super Final and claimed the national title for the first time since 2019. The National Centre Dublin swimmer held off ESB’s Jack Kelly (1:00.95) and his NCD teammate Eoin Corby (1:01.09) for gold in 1:00.54; all three have achieved the European Aquatics Championships consideration time.

In the Women’s 100m Breaststroke Super Final National Centre Dublin’s Niamh Coyne led throughout for victory and the national title in 1:09.52. National Centre Limerick’s Eimear Doyle won silver in 1:10.28 with bronze going to Limerick’s Olwyn Cooke (1:10.69).

Ellen Walshe dominated the 100m Butterfly A Final touching the wall in 58.43 for her fourth fastest time ever. Walshe returns on Saturday for the Super Final with her eye on the Olympic Qualification Time of 57.92.

Maria Godden topped the rankings in the Women’s 200m Backstroke A Final. The National Centre Limerick swimmer is the top seed for tomorrow’s Super Final in 2:14.94 ahead of 100m Backstroke Champion Lottie Cullen (2:16.45) of National Centre Ulster.

In the final event of the evening, the Men’s 200m Individual Medley, Bangor’s Lachey Reed touched in 2:08.14 to advance as the fastest qualifier to Saturday’s Super Final.

Competition continues Saturday morning with heats of the Men’s 1500m Freestyle, 200m Breaststroke, 100m Freestyle and 200m Butterfly and the Women’s 800m Freestyle, 200m Breaststroke, 200m Freestyle and 50m Freestyle.

Swim Ireland - Tom Fannon Secures Status as Ireland’s Fastest Ever Swimmer with Olympic Qualification in the 50m Freestyle

 

Tom Fannon became the latest Irish swimmer to achieve the Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) as the Irish Open Championships and Olympic Trials continued at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre today, bringing the list of Irish swimmers with the OQT to five.

Fannon came agonisingly close to the OQT of 21.96 in this morning’s heats touching in 22.02. This afternoon, the National Centre Dublin swimmer timed his swim to perfection, clocking 21.94 to book his seat to Paris; the swim also knocked one hundredth of a second off his own Irish and Championship Record of 21.95; the 26-year-old, also securing his status as Ireland’s fastest ever swimmer.

Speaking after the race a delighted Fannon said ‘I’m over the moon, speechless I can’t lie. I’m so happy that I stuck to the process and the outcome took care of itself. I’m just happy to be on the plane to the Olympics this Summer.’

Grace Davison and Evan Bailey continued their onslaught on Ireland’s junior records with new standards in the 100m Freestyle and 100m Butterfly respectively. Both swimmers had set the current records in Thursday morning’s heats. In the 100m Freestyle, Ards’ Davison lowered her time of 55.88 to 55.44 and in the 100m Butterfly New Ross’ Bailey knocked .08 off his record of 53.47 to 53.39.

In the Men’s 800m Final Nathan Wiffen was crowned National Champion swimming a best time of 7:54.69, lowering his time of 7:56.40 from Wednesday’s heats. The Larne swimmer was once again under the consideration time for the European Aquatics Championships in June. In second place Daniel Wiffen clocked 8:00.61 while bronze went to National Centre Limerick’s Denis O’Brien in 8:28.43.

National Centre Ulster’s Lottie Cullen claimed her first National Title in the 100m Backstroke with a personal best swim of 1:00.96. Cullen led UCD’s Jena Macdougald (1:02.67) and National Centre Limerick’s Maria Godden (1:02.91) to make her first international team with a consideration time for the European Aquatics Championships.

Conor Ferguson claimed the 100m Backstroke National Title for the third consecutive year. The Loughborough swimmer was under 54 seconds in the Super Final in 53.99 for gold, just outside the OQT of 53.74. Coolmine’s Gavin Keogh took silver in 55.97 while bronze went to NAC’s Matthew Walsh Hussey in 56.24.

In the Women’s 100m Breaststroke A Final Niamh Coyne controlled the race to advance as the fastest qualifier to tomorrow’s Super Final in 1:08.03. The National Centre Dublin swimmer adds her name to those who have achieved consideration times for the European Aquatics Championships.

National Centre Dublin’s Darragh Greene progresses as the top seed to the Super Final of the Men’s 100m Breaststroke in 1:00.36 closely followed by NCD teammate Eoin Corby in 1:00.41 and ESB’s Jack Kelly (1:00.89). All three swimmers were under the European Championships Consideration Time today and will have another shot at the Olympic Qualification Time of 59.49 in tomorrow’s Super Final.

Max McCusker, who set a new Irish Record of 51.90 in the 100m Butterfly on Thursday morning topped the rankings once again in this evening’s A Final in 52.43.  McCusker has only once been faster in the event, at the World Championships in Doha earlier this year. Shane Ryan will be the second seed for the Super Final on Friday in 52.93 and Evan Bailey progresses in third.

Danielle Hill, who achieved the Olympic Qualification Time in the 100m Backstroke on Wednesday, was first home in the 100m Freestyle A Final in 55.17. Grace Davison advances as the second seed with Victoria Catterson third in 55.68. Friday’s Super Final will be the final opportunity for swimmers to put themselves in contention for the freestyle place on the Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay in Paris

In the 1500m Freestyle Ella Carroll claimed gold. The National Centre Limerick swimmer, who has qualified for the European Junior Open Water Championships, was home in 17:35.60 ahead of Templeogue teammates Holly McInerney (17:44.66) and Ava Rock (17:57.37).

Finn McGeever won the 200m Freestyle for the second time in his career and was the only swimmer under 1:50 in 1:49.36. The National Centre Limerick swimmer topped the podium ahead of teammate Cormac Rynn (1:50.13) who once again achieved the consideration time for the European Aquatics Championships. Longford’s Gerry Quinn was third in 1:55.16.

Swim Ireland - John Shortt and Ellen Walshe Highlight Friday’s Irish Open Heats

 

Swim Ireland’s Irish Open Championships and Olympic Trials continued at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre this morning with John Shortt and Ellen Walshe highlighting the preliminary rounds.

National Centre Limerick’s Shortt looked impressive in the heats of the 200m Backstroke. The 17-year-old was just half a second outside his Irish Record of 1:58.47 touching in 1:59.03. Shortt enters Friday’s A Final as the fastest qualifier and only swimmer under the two-minute mark. The Galway man will be aiming for an Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) of 1:57.50.

Ellen Walshe, already qualified for Paris in the 200m Individual Medley, came home in 58.39 in the 100m Butterfly to register her third fastest ever swim in the event. Walshe, the Irish Record holder in the event in 57.96, will aim for the OQT of 57.92 in this afternoon’s A Final.

In the Men’s 400m Freestyle, National Centre Limerick swimmer Cormac Rynn registered his first sub four-minute swim, topping the field, which included Daniel Wiffen, in 3:57.79. Wiffen was the only other swimmer under four minutes in 3:59.81.

In the Women’s 200m Backstroke Maria Godden secured top seed for the A Final in 2:16.82 ahead of Annabelle Wilkinson (2:18.45) and 100m Backstroke National Champion Lottie Cullen (2:20.98).

Ards’ Amelia Kane, swimming in heat two, was fastest out of the Women’s 400m Freestyle in 4:23.97 ahead of 2022 and 2023 National Champion in the event Grace Hodgins, who won heat three in 4:25.01. The pair will go head-to-head this afternoon for the 2024 National Title.

Just four hundredths of a second separated the top two in the Men’s 200m IM with Bangor’s Lachey Reed (2:09.35) and Matthew Hand (2:09.39) the only two swimmers under 2:10.

Competition continues this evening featuring Paris qualified Danielle Hill (100m Freestyle), Tom Fannon (50m Freestyle) and Ellen Walshe (100m Butterfly). Max McCusker (100m Butterfly), Darragh Greene (100m Breaststroke) and Niamh Coyne (100m Breaststroke) are top seeds in their respective Super Finals with a final opportunity for Olympic qualification coming in those events.